Dispensing cap with tamper-resistant actuator

ABSTRACT

A one-piece molded plastic overcap and actuator assembly of inverted cuplike configuration for a valved aerosol dispenser having an axially projecting valve stem at one end, wherein the actuator comprises an integrally hinged elongated tab partially cut from the bottom wall of the cut, the tab having a freeflexing end and a valve stem receiving socket adjacent that end at the underside with an internal passage connecting the socket to a lateral discharge orifice in the tab. The tab is formed intermediate its ends with at least one region of substantial flexibility whereby, when the free end of the tab is manually lifted to disengage the socket from the valve stem, the tab can be foreshortened or extended by flexing of its flexible region, and engaged while in one of its positions with a surrounding part of the cap to lock the actuator tab out of contact with the stem, thereby to prevent accidental or unintentional actuation of the valve stem.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Frank Venus, Jr.

Watertown, Conn.

[21] Appl. No. 21,964

[22] Filed Mar. 23,1970

[45] Patented Oct. 5, 1971 [73] Assignee The Risdon Manufacturing Company Waugatuck, Conn.

[54] DISPENSING CAP WITH TAMPER-RESISTANT ACTUATOR 10 Claims, 7 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl ..222/402.l3, 222/402.l1, 222/530 51 rm. Cl 365d 83/14 [50] Field of Search... 222/153, 182, 402.11, 402.13, 527, 530, 534, 536, 538, 573

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,185,349 5/1965 Sagrin 222/402.13 X 3,236,421 2/1966 Glasier ZZZ/402.13 X 3,137,414 6/1964 Steinkamp 222/182 Primary Examiner-Samuel F. Coleman Assistant ExaminerDavid A. Scherbel AttorneysSteward & Steward, Merrill F. Steward, Donald T.

Steward and Walter D. Hunter ABSTRACT: A one-piece molded plastic overcap and actuator assembly of inverted cuplike configuration for a valved aerosol dispenser having an axially projecting valve stem at one end, wherein the actuator comprises an integrally hinged elongated tab partially cut from the bottom wall of the cut, the tab having a free-flexing end and a valve stem receiving socket adjacent that end at the underside with an internal passage connecting the socket to a lateral discharge orifice in the tab. The tab is formed intermediate ,its ends with at least one region of substantial flexibility whereby, when the free end of the tab is manually lifted to disengage the socket from the valve stem, the tab can be foreshortened or extended by flexing of its flexible region, and engaged while in one of its positions with a surrounding part of the cap to lock the actuator tab out of contact with the stem, thereby to prevent accidental or unintentional actuation of the valve stem.

z I /6 INVENTOR. W 22 FIG 7 FRANK VENUS, JR.

F "5 4d ATTORNEY! DISPENSING CAP WITH TAMPER-RESISTANT ACTUATOR This invention relates to a dispensing cap for an aerosol container and, more particularly, to an integral molded plastic overcap and valve operating actuator equipped with a locking arrangement to provide a tamper-resistant closure device. The construction of the one-piececap and actuator of this invention is such that when the actuator is in the locked condition, the valve cannot be either intentionally or accidentally operated until the actuator is first manually placed in an operative or unlocked condition.

One of the problems attending the shipment, storage and customer handling of loaded aerosol containers is that of providing a closure device which facilitates authorized, inten tional dispensing of the fluid contents while discouraging unintentional or unauthorized operation. Such arrangement is not only desirable to discourage testing by customers of dispensers placed on market shelves, but to make it difficult or impossible for young children upon getting access to the dispenser in the home to operate it and cause possible injury to themselves or to surrounding objects. If the device must be manually conditioned to render it operative before product can be dispensed, it has been found that this will usually deter most individuals from casually or accidentally dispensing the aerosol fluid. Furthermore, it is highly desirable to protect the aerosol from accidental or inadvertent discharge of the liquid during stacking or transporting of the aerosol container from one area to another. In the past attempts have been made to protect against this latter type of accidental or inadvertent discharge by providing a suitably shaped overcap having a recessed area for the actuating member surrounded by an elevated peripheral ridge or shelf on the cap. Such overcaps are designed with the idea that they will guard against accidental discharge of the containers when objects such as other containers are placed on top, by limiting contact to the peripheral ridge only. Such cap designs, however, offer only a limited type of protection since objects having other than flat surfaces, as hand tools, etc., or other containers which become tilted, may not be prevented by the raised peripheral ridge from depressing the actuator member and dispensing the aerosol product. In addition, overcap and actuator constructions of this type do not of course prevent customer testing nor stop children from dispensing the product at will.

The prior art is replete with devices utilizing various locking means for physically preventing movement of the actuator. Such locking means include the use of integrally molded frangible webs that are broken by initial depression of the actuating member, or small removable locking members which are held in a predetermined locking position to prevent movement of the actuating member. While these arrangements are suitable for preventing accidental discharge of aerosol containers prior to the initial operation of the valve, they offer no protection against subsequent accidental or unauthorized operation.

In general, the invention here disclosed relates to a onepiece overcap-actuator combination in which the actuator is an elongated tab member free at one end but integrally and flexibly united at the other to the cap body, the tab having intermediate its ends at least one transverse region of substantial flexibility to allow it to be partially folded back upon itself, i.e., foreshortened lengthwise, by buckling of the flexible region. The tab is provided adjacent its free end with the usual socket for fitted reception therein of the projecting valve stem of the aerosol container when the cap is assembled to it. There is also the usual discharge orifice, and a communicating passage in the tab from the orifice to the socket. The arrangement can be designed to effect registry of the actuator socket with the valve stem in either the extended or folded condition of the actuator tab; and when such registry is achieved, the dispenser may be operated in normal manner by depressing the free end of the tab. To render the dispenser inoperative, the free end of the tab is lifted off the valve stem and pressure applied lengthwise of the tab to cause folding or straightening thereof as the case may be to produce nonregistry of the actuator socket and valve stem. The tab and cap are also provided in their adjacent margins with interengaging locking means which serve to restrain the tab in its nonregistering position relative to the valve stem. Such locking means preferably also includes means positively to prevent depressing the tab relative to the cap, so that not only is the free end of the actuator blocked against movement lengthwise of the tab, but from downward or inward flexing movement of the type required to actuate the valve. Thus the actuator tab is completely disconnected from the valve stem in the locked condition, and there is no way accidentally or unintentionally to actuate the dispensing valve. To reposition the actuator in an operative condition, the user must lift the free end of the tab to disengage the locking means and then move the free end lengthwise of the tab to bring the socket in registry with the valve stem again. The actuator can then be depressed to reengage the valve stem and the unit is ready for normal actuation. Provision may also be made for covering or protecting the projecting valve stem when the actuator tab is in nonoperative condition.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and general features of this invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view showing the overcap with the actuator in an operative position;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view showing the actuator partially folded upon itself and restrained by locking means in a nonoperative or nondispensing position;

FIG. 3 is a transverse axial section on line 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a transverse axial section view of line 44 of FIG.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the actuator tab backed in nondispensing condition in the overp;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are transverse axial sections of modified constructions incorporating valve stem protective means.

In FIGS. l-5, the embodiment of the invention specifically illustrated is a one-piece molded plastic dispensing cap 10 adapted to be mounted on the valve end of a typical aerosol dispensing container 12. A valve assembly 14 is secured in the filling opening provided in the top wall 16, and a tubular valve stem 18 projects axially upwardly above the upper end of the dispensing container. The container and valve arrangement thus far described are conventional and any appropriate form of valve provided with a tubular stem, which when reciprocated axially will open and close the valve to allow aerosol product discharge through the stem, may be employed. A number of such valves are well known and commercially available.

Dispensing cap 10 consists of a cap body 20 which takes the general form of an inverted cup having sidewall 22 and an end or bottom wall 24. In addition, cap body 20 is provided with a cylindrical inner wall 26 coaxial with outer wall 22. Inner wall 26 in this instance is employed to lock the assembly 10 to the dispensing container 12, this being accomplished by means of a retaining lip 28 on the lower edge of wall 26 which grips beneath rim 30 of the valve-mounting cup by which the valve assembly 14 is secured in the filling opening of the top wall 12 of the container. Outer wall 22 of assembly 10 constitutes a generally smooth upward extension of the sidewall of container 12, with the lower edge being seated in the annular recess formed adjacent the chine 32 of the container.

The end or bottom wall 24 of the cap body is recessed to form a generally diametrically extending reentrant surface or valley 34 flanked on either side by an ellipsoidal lands 35 lying in the same horizontal plane and together forming a flat base for stable stacking of one dispenser upon another.

Valley 34 of the cap body forms a natural recess to accommodate the finger of a person gripping the dispenser for onehand operation. To this end an elongated actuator tab 40 is formed as a part of the floor of the valley, being partially cut from the end wall 24. Tab 40 is hingedly joined at 42 to the sidewall 22 of the cap body but otherwise forms a loose, conforming fit in the resulting access opening 44 in the end wall 24 and is free for limited flexural movement transversely of that wall. At its free end, tab 40 has a laterally exposed face 46 onto which a discharge orifice 48 opens. This is connected internally of the tab by a passage 50 which leads into a valvestem receiving socket 52 formed in hub 54 on the underside of tab 40.

In the normal operating position of tab 40, as shown in FIG. 3, socket 52 is disposed in substantial axial alignment with valve stem 18 so that the latter is received in the socket. When the user depresses tab 40, valve stem 18 is axially depressed to open the valve and allow aerosol fluid to discharge through orifice 48 in normal manner.

As previously mentioned, the dispensing cap may be conditioned to prevent operation of the aerosol dispenser. The manner in which this is accomplished is illustrated in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5. To render the cap assembly inoperative, the free end of the actuator tab is lifted to disengage valve stem 18 from socket 52, and then that end of the tab is pushed backwardly towards its hinged end, causing the intermediate portion of the tab to buckle or fold. In order to facilitate this folding and to cause it preferably to take place in a downward direction, a series of transverse grooves 56, in this case three in number, are provided on the under surface of the tab. in addition, inner wall 26 is interrupted, as at 27, to accept the folded tab.

Tab 40 is restrained in its folded, nonoperative position by engagement of projecting lugs 58 in cooperating detent sockets 60. As specifically shown in the drawings, lugs 58 are formed at the upper edge of face 46 to project laterally of the width of the tab, and are received in cooperating detent sockets 60 formed in the adjacent margins of the access opening 44. Sockets 60 are open at their upper and inner sides but are closed at the bottom to form a positive stop against which lugs 58 abut to prevent further depression of the actuator tab.

When the dispensing device is to be used, the operator must again lift the free end of tab 40 to disengage the lugs 58 from sockets 60, and the tab must be pulled or extended until its socket 52 registers with valve stem 18, at which time depression of the free end of the tab reestablishes engagement of the valve stem in the socket. To provide clearance for lugs 58 in the operative position of the tab, the opposite margins of access opening 44 are notched at 62.

For some purposes it may be desirable to provide a forwardly projecting shelf 64 on the front face 46 of the tab, as shown in FIG. 6. The purpose of this is to form a protective cover over the valve stem 18 when the actuator tab is folded to nonoperative position. Not only does shelf 64 prevent dirt or other foreign substance entering the tubular valve stem and causing a contamination of the aerosol product and/or clogging of the discharge orifice; it also serves additionally positively to prevent manual access to and actuation of the valve stem by direct finger contact with the stem, or by the use of some instrument such as a pencil.

In the foregoing examples, the actuator tab is designed to operate the aerosol dispenser when it is in its extended position and is rendered inoperative when moved into its folded position. It will be obvious, however, that this arrangement can be reversed. That is, the overcap assembly 10 can be molded so that actuator tab 140 in its extended (unfolded) condition disposes its valve socket 152 corresponding out of registry with the valve stem, as seen, for example, in FIG. 7. In this case, in order to place the dispenser in operative condition, the tab must be folded to bring its socket 152 into registry with the valve stem 18. In this embodiment, the overlying relation of tab 140 in its normal extended position, with respect to the valve stem 18, serves to prevent access to the stem. Preferably the restraining lug and detent socket arrangement employed in the previous example is utilized in this embodiment also, but the relative positions of detent sockets and clearance notches 162 are of course reversed with respect to the corresponding members of the previous modification.

What is claimed is: l. A one-piece molded plastic overcap and actuator device for a valved aerosol-dispensing container having an axially projecting valve stem, comprising in combination:

a cap body in the form of an inverted cup having side and end walls, means on said sidewall for securing said cup to the valved end of the container in enclosing relation thereto, and a generally diametrically disposed elongated access opening in the end wall;

an elongated actuator tab loosely fitted in said access opening, integrally and flexibly jointed at one end to said cap body, said tab being free at its opposite end for limited flexural movement transversely of said end wall;

said actuator tab having at least one transversely extending region intermediate its ends of greater flexibility than adjacent regions to permit extending and foreshortening of the tab by folding or buckling of said flexible region upon application of manual pressure lengthwise of the tab;

said tab also having a laterally exposed face at the free end and a discharge orifice opening onto said face, a socket formed in the underside of said tab adjacent its free end for the fitted reception of a valve stem therein, and internal conduit means in the tab connecting the discharge orifice to said socket; said tab disposing said socket in position for registry with the valve stem in only one of either its extended or foreshortened conditions; and

interengageable means on said tab and cap body, respectively, for restraining said tab in one of its extended or foreshortened condition.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said tab is molded to lie normally in the surface forming said end wall of said cup.

3. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said tab is molded in a normally foreshortened position with said region of greater flexibility folded or buckled out of the surface forming said end wall of said cup.

4. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said tab is formed with spaced parallel grooves transversely of its length intermediate its ends to form said region of greater flexibility.

5. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said interengagable restraining means on said cap body and tab members comprise a projecting lug and cooperating detent socket therefor formed integrally in adjacent margins of said actuator tab and end wall access opening, respectively.

6. A device as defined in claim 5, wherein said projecting lug and detent socket are registerable only in the foreshortened condition of said actuator tab.

7. A device as defined in claim 5, wherein said projecting lug and detent socket are registerable only in the extended condition of the tab.

8. A device as defined in claim 5, wherein said interengageble restraining means includes a stop element limiting downward flexural movement of the free end of said actuator tab when said restraining means are engaged.

9. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said laterally exposed face of said actuator tab is substantially parallel to the side wall of the cap and is located at the free end of the tab.

10. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said tab has a.

projection formed on said laterally exposed face beneath the discharge orifice therein, said projection overlying the dispenser valve stem when said tab is positioned to dispose said socket in nonregistering relation with the valve stem. 

1. A one-piece molded plastic overcap and actuator device for a valved aerosol-dispensing container having an axially projecting valve stem, comprising in combination: a cap body in the form of an inverted cup having side and end walls, means on said sidewall for securing said cup to the valved end of the container in enclosing relation thereto, and a generally diametrically disposed elongated access opening in the end wall; an elongated actuator tab loosely fitted in said access opening, integrally and flexibly jointed at one end to said cap body, said tab being free at its opposite end for limited flexural movement transversely of said end wall; said actuator tab having at least one transversely extending region intermediate its ends of greater flexibility than adjacent regions to permit extending and foreshortening of the tab by folding or buckling of said flexible region upon application of manual pressure lengthwise of the tab; said tab also having a laterally exposed face at the free end and a discharge orifice opening onto said face, a socket formed in the underside of said tab adjacent its free end for the fitted reception of a valve stem therein, and internal conduit means in the tab connecting the discharge orifice to said socket; said tab disposing said socket in position for registry with the valve stem in only one of either its extended or foreshortened conditions; and interengageable means on said tab and cap body, respectively, for restraining said tab in one of its extended or foreshortened condition.
 2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said tab is molded to lie normally in the Surface forming said end wall of said cup.
 3. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said tab is molded in a normally foreshortened position with said region of greater flexibility folded or buckled out of the surface forming said end wall of said cup.
 4. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said tab is formed with spaced parallel grooves transversely of its length intermediate its ends to form said region of greater flexibility.
 5. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said interengagable restraining means on said cap body and tab members comprise a projecting lug and cooperating detent socket therefor formed integrally in adjacent margins of said actuator tab and end wall access opening, respectively.
 6. A device as defined in claim 5, wherein said projecting lug and detent socket are registerable only in the foreshortened condition of said actuator tab.
 7. A device as defined in claim 5, wherein said projecting lug and detent socket are registerable only in the extended condition of the tab.
 8. A device as defined in claim 5, wherein said interengagable restraining means includes a stop element limiting downward flexural movement of the free end of said actuator tab when said restraining means are engaged.
 9. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said laterally exposed face of said actuator tab is substantially parallel to the side wall of the cap and is located at the free end of the tab.
 10. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said tab has a projection formed on said laterally exposed face beneath the discharge orifice therein, said projection overlying the dispenser valve stem when said tab is positioned to dispose said socket in nonregistering relation with the valve stem. 